That seems to be true as much for boats as with life in general and I should explain perhaps why we are still at Brundall instead of at Lowestoft doing commissioning trials as expected.

Firstly, the little problems we had with the engines and their computers have not yet been solved although Cummins have people working on it and hope to fix them very shortly. They are as concerned as we are that we have hit these snags but are working very hard to ensure that they get everything running perfectly before we take the boat to sea. I have every faith that they will and my confidence in the engines has not been reduced by these teething problems.

Unfortunately, we look like being further delayed until about mid-January because the new E Series equipment we have bought from Raymarine apparently does not yet have the appropriate software installed to run the HD Digital radar system! We have been told that it is due to be available to download on 14 January but we won't know until we try.

However, no one told us this when we ordered the system in early October. I know that "caveat emptor" is a philosophy one should always employ but I do think that companies might be honest with purchasers, especially when the cost of the total package is in excess of £10 thousand.

In fairness, the remainder of the system seems fine and the charts are very clear but we cannot take the boat away until all the equipment has been commissioned and signed off by the installer and so we will just have to wait it out. No doubt Christmas Day off the East Corton buoy would have been a bit lonely anyway!

Can I just wish any reader of this site a Very Happy Christmas and a great 2008 - especially around the end of June!